{"id":34879,"date":"2024-09-06T07:00:47","date_gmt":"2024-09-06T07:00:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/updates-www.mccdn.io\/vitals\/?p=34879"},"modified":"2025-06-09T15:22:20","modified_gmt":"2025-06-09T15:22:20","slug":"stomachaches-sniffles-its-back-to-school-season","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/updates-www.mccdn.io\/vitals\/stomachaches-sniffles-its-back-to-school-season\/","title":{"rendered":"Stomachaches & sniffles: It\u2019s back-to-school season","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"

Kids are back in the classroom and parents know all too well what that means: The germs are back, too.<\/p>\n

As students hit the books and gear up for fall sports \u2014 and the weather cools down \u2014 the risk for respiratory and gastrointestinal illnesses spikes, especially during the first few months of the school year, explains Sarah d\u2019Hulst, MD, with MultiCare Rockwood Pediatrics<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cKids are touching and all over each other all the time. \u2026 They can\u2019t help it,\u201d she says. \u201cThe job of kids is to play. They\u2019re figuring out boundaries and learning how to interact with each other and in a group. It\u2019s part of growing up.\u201d<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, all that interaction is the perfect opportunity for viruses to spread. But it\u2019s not just a fever or runny nose that could keep them home, Dr. d\u2019Hulst adds. Many kids also experience mental health challenges as their routine changes and stressors increase, resulting in headaches and stomachaches.<\/p>\n

What to look out for<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Most respiratory illnesses<\/strong>, including those that come in the form of a cold, fever or ear infection, are spread through droplets, Dr. d\u2019Hulst says.<\/p>\n

Think of the number of times you\u2019ve seen a kid cough into their hand, then immediately touch a door handle or book. In a busy classroom, someone is bound to touch that same item, then touch their mouth or eyes moments later.<\/p>\n

Proper hand hygiene should be taught during potty training, but a good scrub with water and soap isn\u2019t always realistic throughout the school day, Dr. d\u2019Hulst says. Keeping your student stocked with hand sanitizer can make a big difference. Remind them to sanitize before eating, when returning from the playground or between activities.<\/p>\n","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Kids are back in the classroom and parents know all too well what that means: The germs are back, too. As students hit the books and gear up for fall sports \u2014 and the weather cools down \u2014 the risk for respiratory and gastrointestinal illnesses spikes, especially during the first few months of the school […]<\/p>\n","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"author":115,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[127,63,67,99],"tags":[163],"class_list":["post-34879","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-healthy-living","category-heart-health","category-kids-health","category-primary-care","tag-back-to-school"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nHow to reduce illness during back-to-school season - MultiCare Vitals<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Fevers, runny noses and stomachaches spike during beginning of school year. 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